HUFFPOST FUNDRACE - The $11 Billion Election

$11 billion. That is the amount that the Federal Election Commission is predicting will be spent on the 2012 election. By comparison, the 2008 election cost $5.28 billion. We're talking about a doubling of the amount of money to be spent in the coming election. Get ready!

Is Mitt Romney's biggest ally in the Republican primary Ron Paul? Paul is going up with a major ad buy--$250,000--in South Carolina featuring a brutal attack on the rising Rick Santorum. Santorum is laid out as a "serial hypocrite," a "corporate lobbyist," and "Washington politician." The former Pennsylvania senator is blasted for taking the most lobbyist cash in Washington in 2006, promising to balance the budget while voting five times to raise the debt ceiling, opposing the Right to Work Act, and for stating explicitly that Congress had to spend the surpluses of the 1990s. [Politico]

The super PAC backing Rick Santorum in the GOP primary is dropping $190,000 on ads in South Carolina. The group's ads will air in the Greenville, Charleston and Columbia markets. [ABC]

Help us populate our list of campaign videos. Send any notable TV, radio or web ads that you see to Fundrace. Send your submissions to paulblumenthal@huffingtonpost.com.

Committee: Ron Paul for PresidentCandidate opposed: Rick SantorumSpot: "Betrayal" -- A brutal ad from the Ron Paul campaign knocking Rick Santorum for his ties to lobbyists, his votes on the debt ceiling, and his opposition to a right to work bill. The ad also labels Santorum "one of the most corrupt members of Congress."Link: [http://youtu.be/5Aohgrn1peA]Market: South Carolina.Buy: Undisclosed.

Committee: Emergency Committee for IsraelCandidate opposed: Ron PaulSpot: "We Can Do Better Than Ron Paul" -- The knives come out for Ron Paul in South Carolina with this ad from Gary Bauer's Emergency Committee for Israel. Bauer, a noted evangelical leader, is featured in the ad decrying Paul's "isolationist and conspiratorial" conservatism. Bauer blasts Paul for opposing Israel and being "hostile to our military."Link: [http://youtu.be/8MX7gFB4KR0]Market: South Carolina.Buy: Undisclosed.

Committee: Red White And Blue FundCandidate supported: Rick SantorumSpot: "Pride" -- Featuring footage of Santorum's post-Iowa caucus speech this ad from the pro-Santorum super PAC is set to air in South Carolina. The ad calls Santorum a "principled conservative" and, in a swipe at the rest of the field, "the conservative we can trust."Link: [http://youtu.be/wXQMKBmGhYY]Market: South Carolina.Buy: ~$190,000.

Committee: MoveOn.orgCandidate opposed: Mitt RomneySpot: "Does Mitt Romney Care About Jobs Or Just Making Money" -- A longer cut of the 30 second ad MoveOn is airing in New Hampshire, this web video features two Kansas City steel mill workers laid off after Bain Capital bought their company and closed the plant they had worked at for 30 years. Get ready for a lot of ads like this one if Romney is the GOP candidate.Link: [http://youtu.be/YtV7vKDbU3A]Market: YouTube.Buy: None. Just a web video.

Committee: Democratic Congressional Campaign CommitteeCandidate opposed: Rob CornillesSpot: "Rob Cornilles: Anti Choice Republican" -- The DCCC jumps into the special election in Oregon's First District to bash Republican Rob Cornilles for stating that he was endorsed by Oregon Right to Life, a pro-life group. Both Cornilles opponent, Susan Bonamicci and Emily's List have knocked Cornilles in separate ads for the same thing.Link: [http://youtu.be/EejP7Lckld8]Market: Oregon 1st District.Buy: Undisclosed.

TRACKING INDEPENDENT SPENDING IN THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE:

These numbers represent spending by independent groups, like super PACs and non-profits, to support or oppose a particular candidate for the presidency in 2012. Fundrace will update this spending daily to help show which candidates are gaining from the proliferation of independent groups in this coming election.

Our Destiny PAC, $220,000 to support Jon Huntsman for President.Endorse Liberty, $100,218 to support Ron Paul for President.Restore Our Future, $89,961 to oppose Newt Gingrich for President in Florida.Leaders for Families, $12,701 to support Rick Santorum for President in New Hampshire.DGA Action, $4,684 to oppose Mitt Romney for President.DGA Action, $2,407 to oppose Rick Santorum for President.DGA Action, $2,287 to oppose Ron Paul for President.